Information processing apparatus, a computer-readable storage medium recorded with a data management program, and data management system

ABSTRACT

A server computer includes a data acquisition unit which acquires data in Script format including predetermined information that has been output from each of one or more network-connected peripheral devices, a tabulation unit which extracts maintenance information from the Script format data acquired by the data acquisition unit, and tabulates this extracted maintenance information, and a data conversion unit which converts the tabulated information that has been tabulated by the tabulation unit into a data format which is interpretable by a device that is different from the server computer and which is different from the Script format.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, adata management program, and a data management system, and in particularrelates to technology of tabulating prescribed information that has beenoutput from a network-connected peripheral device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, known is an image forming system configured from one ormore image forming apparatuses, and a server computer and a clientcomputer that are network-connected to the image forming apparatuses.With this image forming system, the image forming apparatuses, theserver computer, and the client computer are able to mutuallycommunicate data, and the image forming apparatuses print out the datathat was sent from the client computer or the server computer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an improvement of the foregoing conventionalinvention.

Specifically, the present invention is an information processingapparatus including a data acquisition unit which acquires data inScript format including predetermined information that has been outputfrom each of one or more network-connected peripheral devices, atabulation unit which extracts the predetermined information from theScript format data acquired by the data acquisition unit, and tabulatesthis extracted information, and a data conversion unit which convertsthe tabulated information that has been tabulated by the tabulation unitinto a predetermined data format which is interpretable by a device thatis different from the information processing apparatus and which isdifferent from the Script format.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the data management systemaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of theserver computer.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the imageforming apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the first embodiment of the datamanagement processing according to the data management system.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the second embodiment of the datamanagement processing according to the data management system.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of a schematicconfiguration of the server computer.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of a schematicconfiguration of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the transmission request acceptanceprocessing of the tabulation information and the transmission processingof the tabulated information in the server computer and the imageforming apparatus of the data management system according to anotherembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The information processing apparatus, the data management program, andthe data management system according to an embodiment of the presentinvention are now explained with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the data management systemaccording to an embodiment of the present invention. The data managementsystem 10 is configured from one or more image forming apparatuses 11 to15, a server computer SV2, and a mail server 3. However, the number ofimage forming apparatuses, server computers, and mail servers to beequipped in the data management system 10 is not limited to the above.

The image forming apparatuses 11 to 14 are a printer, a copy machine, ora facsimile machine. The image forming apparatus 15 is a multifunctionperipheral and comprises multiple functions; for instance, a copyfunction, a facsimile function, a printer function, and a scannerfunction. The image forming apparatus 15 comprises a document managementfunction of storing the document data of the manuscript that was readwith the scanner unit in the internal storage device of the imageforming apparatus 15, the server computer SV2 that is network-connectedto the image forming apparatus 15 via a LAN (local area network) or thelike, a storage unit in a personal computer not shown, and reading printtarget data that is stored in the internal storage device of the imageforming apparatus 15, the server computer SV2, and the storage unit ofthe personal computer and printing out the same. The image formingapparatus 15 is provided with a display unit 50 (FIG. 3) configured froman LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like. Moreover, the image formingapparatuses 11 to 15 respectively comprise a function for acquiring andstoring maintenance information such as the toner level (in other words,toner residual quantity), copy count information (in other words, theinformation counted the copy number of sheets), and jam count (in otherwords, the number of times that produced jam) during the image formingoperation. The image forming apparatuses 11 to 15 create Script formatdata including the foregoing maintenance information, and, in thisembodiment, send the Script format data including the maintenanceinformation to the mail server 3 in email format.

The mail server 3 includes a function as a SMTP server and a POP server.The mail server 3 sends and receives email to and from the LAN-connectedimage forming apparatuses 11 to 15 and the server computer SV2. Inaddition, the mail server 3 is connected to the internet via a routernot shown, and includes a function of sending and receiving emails toand from the device collective management server 5 via the internet.

The server computer SV2 acquires Script format data including theforegoing maintenance information that is output from the respectiveimage forming apparatuses 11 to 15 via the foregoing mail server 3, andextracts and tabulates the maintenance information from the Scriptformat data as predetermined information to obtain tabulatedinformation. The server computer SV2 is able to convert the tabulatedinformation made of the Script format data into, for example, screendata in HTML format data (hereinafter referred to as the “display screendata”) of a display screen that is displayed on the display unit 50 ofthe image forming apparatus 15. The image forming apparatus 15 receivesthe foregoing screen data to be displayed on the display unit 50 fromthe server computer SV2, and displays the screen data on the displayunit 50. Moreover, the server computer SV2 is able to convert thetabulated information made of the foregoing Script format data into adata format that is interpretable by the device collective managementserver 5 (for instance, HTML data format, Prescribe data, PJL (PrinterJob Language) and the like; provided, however, that the data format thatis interpretable by the device collective management server 5 is notlimited to the above).

The device collective management server 5 receives the foregoingtabulated information in email format or the like from the servercomputer SV2 and the mail server 3 of the respective data managementsystems 10 of the respective installation sites (organizations such ascompanies and business offices) where the data management system 10 asthe management target is installed. Ideally, the data management system10 of the respective installation sites is protected via a firewall orthe like during the data transmission and reception with the outside viathe internet.

The configuration of the server computer SV2 is now explained. FIG. 2 isa block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the server computerSV2.

The server computer SV2 comprises a control unit 21, a data acquisitionunit 22, a tabulation unit 23, a data conversion unit 24, a datatransmission/reception unit 25, a command acceptance unit 26, and astorage unit 27.

The control unit 21 is configured from a CPU or the like, and governsthe overall operational control of the server computer SV2. The controlunit 21 controls the respective processes to be performed by the servercomputer SV2 based on the operator's command that was accepted by thecommand acceptance unit 26.

The data acquisition unit 22 acquires the Script format data includingthe maintenance information that was output from the respective imageforming apparatuses 11 to 15 which are network-connected to the servercomputer SV2. In this embodiment, the data acquisition unit 22 receivesand acquires the foregoing Script format data in email format via themail server 3.

The tabulation unit 23 extracts the maintenance information from theforegoing Script format data acquired by the data acquisition unit 22,and tabulates this extracted maintenance information. For example, thetabulation unit 23 extracts the maintenance information from theforegoing Script format data, and calculates the tabulation result ofthe toner level, copy count information, jam count and the like for eachof the image forming apparatuses 11 to 15, and calculates the tabulationresult of the toner level, copy count information, jam count and thelike regarding all network-connected image forming apparatuses 11 to 15.

The data conversion unit 24 converts the tabulated information that wastabulated with the tabulation unit 23 into a predetermined data format(for instance, HTML data format, Prescribe data, PJL (Printer JobLanguage) and the like; provided, however, that the data format that isinterpretable by the device collective management server 5 and the imageforming apparatus 15 is not limited to the above) which can beinterpreted by an apparatus that is different from the server computerSV2 (in this embodiment, the device collective management server 5 andthe image forming apparatus 15) and which is different from the Scriptformat.

The data transmission/reception unit (an example of the datatransmission unit in the claims) 25 transmits and receives various typesof data to and from the mail server 3 and the image forming apparatuses11 to 15. The data transmission/reception unit 25 transmits theforegoing data that was converted with the data conversion unit 24 tothe device collective management server 5, the image forming apparatus15 and the like. Moreover, the data transmission/reception unit 25determines whether data transmission to a predetermined peripheraldevice (in this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 15) is possible,and if it is determined that data transmission to the image formingapparatus 15 is possible, it transmits the tabulated information made ofthe foregoing converted HTML format data to a predetermined differentimage forming apparatus including the foregoing display unit 50 amongthe other network-connected image forming apparatuses 11 to 14.

The command acceptance unit 26 receives from an operator an input of acommand for selecting whether to perform the data conversion with thedata conversion unit 24 and the data transmission with the datatransmission/reception unit 25. For example, the command acceptance unit26 receives the respective operation commands input as a result of theoperator operating an operation unit (mouse pointer, keyboard or thelike) not shown that is provided to the server computer SV2. If thecommand acceptance unit 26 accepts a command for performing theforegoing data conversion and the data transmission, the control unit 21causes the data conversion unit 24 to perform data conversion and thedata transmission/reception unit 25 to perform data transmission, andcauses the data conversion unit 24 to refrain from performing dataconversion and the data transmission/reception unit 25 to refrainperforming data transmission if the command acceptance unit 26 does notaccept the foregoing command.

The storage unit 27 is configured from an HDD or the like, and storesthe data management program according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. The control unit 21 functions as the control unit 21, thedata acquisition unit 22, the tabulation unit 23, the data conversionunit 24, the data transmission/reception unit 25, and the commandacceptance unit 26 equipped with each of the foregoing functions byrunning according to the data management program stored in the storageunit 27. The data management program according to an embodiment of thepresent invention is recorded in a computer-readable storage medium, andis read from the foregoing storage medium and stored in the storage unit27 via an interface not shown.

The configuration of the image forming apparatus 15 is now explained.FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the imageforming apparatus 15. The image forming apparatuses 11, 12, 15 comprisea display unit 50, and the image forming apparatuses 13, 14 differ inthat they do not comprise the display unit 50, the control unitincluding the function of the display control unit, and the data I/Ounit including the function of the data receiving unit, but theremaining configuration is the same as the image forming apparatuses 11to 15.

The image forming apparatus 15 comprises a control unit 151, an imageforming unit 152, a storage unit 153, a display unit 50, a data creationunit 155, a data I/O unit 156, and an operation unit 157.

The control unit 151 governs the overall operational control of theimage forming apparatus 15. The control unit (display control unit) 151displays, on the display unit 50, the tabulated information made of theforegoing HTML format data that was received from the server computerSV2 by the data I/O unit 156.

The image forming unit 152 performs image forming operations based onthe print data in an electrophotographic format or an inkjet format. Inthe case of an electrophotographic format, the image forming unit 152comprises a photoreceptor drum, a charging device, an exposure device, adevelopment device, a transcription device, a neutralization device andthe like.

During the execution of the image forming operation by the image formingunit 152, the data creation unit 155 acquires the foregoing maintenanceinformation such as the toner level, copy count information, and jamcount from the control unit 151 that controls the image forming unit 152and a feeding mechanism of a manuscript or recording paper not shown andconverts it into Script format data as the maintenance information to besent to the server computer SV2.

The data I/O unit 156 transmits and receives various types of data toand from the mail server 3, the server computer SV2 and the like. Inthis embodiment, the data I/O unit 156 transmits the Script format dataincluding the maintenance information created with the data creationunit 155 to the server computer SV2 via the mail server 3. Moreover, thedata I/O unit 156 receives the tabulated information made of theforegoing HTML format data that is transmitted from the server computerSV2.

The storage unit 153 is configured from a memory or the like, and storesthe Script format data including the maintenance information createdwith the foregoing data creation unit 155, image forming target data,and the like.

The operation unit 157 is an operation button and the like that areprovided to the front face of the main body of the image formingapparatus 15, and the operator inputs into the operation unit 157 animage forming operation execution command or a command for displayingthe tabulated information received by the data I/O unit 156 on thedisplay unit 50 based on the operator's operation.

The display unit 50 is configured from an LCD or the like, and displaysthe tabulated information that was received by the data I/O unit 156under the control of the control unit 151.

The first embodiment of the data management processing to be performedby the data management system 10 is now explained. FIG. 4 is a flowchartshowing the first embodiment of the data management processing to beperformed by the data management system 10.

When the image forming unit 152 in the respective image formingapparatuses 11 to 15 performs the image forming operation (S1), the datacreation unit 155 acquires maintenance information such as the tonerlevel, copy count information, and jam count and stores it in thestorage unit 153 (S2). The control unit 151 continues the maintenanceinformation acquisition processing until a predetermined time (forinstance, one hour) elapses based on a built-in timer, and, when it isdetermined that the foregoing predetermined time has elapsed (YES atS3), the data creation unit 155 uses the foregoing maintenanceinformation stored in the storage unit 153 at such time and createsScript format data as the maintenance information to be sent to theserver computer SV2 (S4). When the Script format data including themaintenance information is created by the data creation unit 155, thedata I/O unit 156 uses the email address of the server computer SV2 asthe email address showing the destination of the Script format data, andsends the Script format data to the mail server 3 via email (S5).

When the mail server 3 receives the email of the Script format dataincluding the maintenance information from one of the image formingapparatuses 11 to 15, it stores the email in its built-in storage unit(MS1). Here, if there is a command from the server computer SV2 to theeffect of requesting the sending of an email to the server computerSV2's own address (YES at MS2), the mail server 3 sends an email of theScript format data including the maintenance information stored in thebuilt-in storage unit and which is the email received from therespective image forming apparatuses 11 to 15 to the server computer SV2(MS3).

In the server computer SV2, when the data acquisition unit 22 receivesthe foregoing email from the mail server 3 (V1), the tabulation unit 23extracts the toner level, copy count information, jam count and the likeas the maintenance information made of Script format data from thereceived email, and calculates the tabulation result of the toner level,copy count information, jam count and the like for each of the imageforming apparatuses 11 to 15 as well as the tabulation result of allimage forming apparatuses 11 to 15, and stores them in the storage unit27 (V2). Note that the foregoing tabulation method is merely an example,and the tabulation method according to the present invention is notlimited to the above.

Here, the control unit 21 determines whether the operator configured asetting for converting the foregoing tabulated information into aprescribed data format and sending it to the device collectivemanagement server 5 or the image forming apparatus 15 (V3). Here, let itbe assumed that the command acceptance unit 26 accepts a command forsetting the image forming apparatus 15 as the destination of theforegoing tabulated information as a result of the operator operatingthe operation unit (mouse pointer or keyboard) not shown, and the imageforming apparatus 15 is preliminarily set as the destination of theforegoing tabulated information.

If there is no setting for converting the foregoing tabulatedinformation into a prescribed data format and sending it to the devicecollective management server 5 or the image forming apparatus 15 (NO atV3), the control unit 21 ends the processing. Specifically, themaintenance information made of the foregoing Script format data isstored as tabulated information in the storage unit 27 of the servercomputer SV2, and the processing is ended.

Meanwhile, if the command acceptance unit 26 is configured with asetting for converting the foregoing tabulated information into aprescribed data format and sending it to the device collectivemanagement server 5 or the image forming apparatus 15 (YES at V3), thedata conversion unit 24 converts the tabulated information made of theforegoing Script format data into, for example, HTML data format,Prescribe data, PJL (Printer Job Language) or the like according to thecontents of the set command (V4). Specifically, if the operatorconfigured a setting for sending the foregoing tabulated information tothe device collective management server 5, the data conversion unit 24converts the tabulated information made of the foregoing Script formatdata into, for example, HTML data format, Prescribe data, PJL (PrinterJob Language) or the like. If the operator configured a setting forsending the foregoing tabulated information to the image formingapparatus 15, the data conversion unit 24 converts the tabulatedinformation made of the foregoing Script format data into, for example,HTML format data. Moreover, if the operator configured a setting forsending the foregoing tabulated information to both the devicecollective management server 5 and the image forming apparatus 15, thedata conversion unit 24 converts the tabulated information of theforegoing Script format data into, for example, HTML data format,Prescribe data, PJL (Printer Job Language) or the like.

Subsequently, the data transmission/reception unit 25 sends theforegoing data converted tabulated information to the device collectivemanagement server 5 and/or the image forming apparatus 15 according tothe contents of the foregoing command (V5).

In the image forming apparatus 15, if the data I/O unit 156 receives thetabulated information made of the HTML format data (M1), the controlunit 151 displays the received tabulated information made of the HTMLformat data on the display unit 50 (M2).

Consequently, the image forming apparatus 15 is also able to manage thelogs of the toner level, copy count information, jam count and the likeregarding all network-connected image forming apparatuses 11 to 15 byusing the foregoing tabulated information.

If the device collective management server 5 receives the tabulatedinformation made of the predetermined format data, the control unit (notshown) of the device collective management server 5 stores the tabulatedinformation in the database 51.

The second embodiment of the data management processing to be performedby the data management system 10 is now explained. FIG. 5 is a flowchartshowing the second embodiment of the data management processing to beperformed by the data management system 10. In the second embodiment,explanation and illustration of the processing performed by therespective image forming apparatuses 11 to 15 and the processingperformed by the mail server 3, which are the same as the processing ofthe first embodiment explained with reference to FIG. 4 are omitted, andonly the processing to be performed by the server computer SV2 isillustrated. In addition, explanation of the processing performed by theserver computer SV2 that is the same as the processing of the firstembodiment is also omitted.

In the second embodiment, the command acceptance unit 26 is able toaccept the image forming apparatus as the destination of the foregoingtabulated information not only as the first candidate, but up to apredetermined prescribed number of candidates, by the operator operatingthe operation unit not shown, and a prescribed number of image formingapparatus candidates are preliminarily set as the destination of theforegoing tabulated information.

If the command acceptance unit 26 is configured with a setting forsending the foregoing tabulated information to the image formingapparatus 15, or to the image forming apparatus 15 and the devicecollective management server 5 based on the operator's command, the datatransmission/reception unit 25 sends the foregoing tabulated informationto the first candidate image forming apparatus as the destination of thetabulated information set in the command acceptance unit 26 (V15).

After sending the tabulated information to the foregoing first candidateimage forming apparatus, the data transmission/reception unit 25determines whether the sending of the foregoing tabulated information tothe first candidate image forming apparatus was successful (whether anerror occurred in the delivery processing) (V16). If the datatransmission/reception unit 25 determines that the sending of thetabulated information to the first candidate image forming apparatus wasunsuccessful (a delivery error has occurred) (YES at V16), the datatransmission/reception unit 25 sets the second candidate image formingapparatus that is set in the command acceptance unit 26 as thedestination of the foregoing tabulated information (V17), and sends theforegoing tabulated information to the second candidate image formingapparatus (V15).

The processing of V16 and V17 above is repeated until the sending of thetabulated information any one of the image forming apparatuses set asthe destination of the foregoing tabulated information is successful(until a delivery error does not occur), and the processing is endedwhen the sending of the tabulated information to an image formingapparatus as the destination of the foregoing tabulated information issuccessful (NO at V16).

In the respective image forming apparatuses that were set as thedestination of the foregoing tabulated information, if the data I/O unitreceives the tabulated information made of the HTML format data, thecontrol unit displays the received tabulated information made of theHTML format data on the display unit.

Another embodiment of the information processing apparatus, the datamanagement program, and the data management system according to thepresent invention is now explained.

With the data management system 10 according to this other embodiment,the server computer SV2 creates display screen data for urging theoperator to select whether to receive the foregoing tabulatedinformation with the image forming apparatus 15 and sends this to theimage forming apparatus 15, the image forming apparatus 15 displays thedisplay screen showing the display screen data on the display unit 50,and sends a transmission request of the foregoing tabulated informationto the server computer SV2 upon accepting a command from the operator tothe effect of receiving the foregoing tabulated information with theimage forming apparatus 15. Here, let it be assumed that the commandacceptance unit 26 preliminarily stores the image forming apparatus 15as the destination of the foregoing tabulated information.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of theserver computer SV2 according to another embodiment. Explanation of thesame configuration as the server computer SV2 shown in FIG. 2 isomitted.

The server computer SV2 according to this other embodiment furthercomprises a display screen data creation unit 28, and a transmissionrequest receiving unit 29.

The display screen data creation unit 28 creates display screen data forurging the operator to select whether to receive the foregoing tabulatedinformation, which is to be sent by the data transmission/reception unit25, with the image forming apparatus 15. The display screen datacreation unit 28 creates the display screen data in a data format (forinstance, HTML format) that is displayable with the display unit 50 ofthe image forming apparatus 15.

The transmission request receiving unit 29 receives a transmissionrequest of the foregoing tabulated information from the image formingapparatus 15. However, the function of the transmission requestreceiving unit 29 can also be concurrently carried out by the datatransmission/reception unit 25.

The data transmission/reception unit 25 transmits the display screendata created with the display screen data creation unit 28 to the imageforming apparatus 15.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the imageforming apparatus 15 according to another embodiment. Explanation of thesame configuration as the image forming apparatus 15 shown in FIG. 3 isomitted.

The image forming apparatus 15 according to this other embodimentfurther comprises a command acceptance unit 158, and a transmissionrequest sending unit 159.

The command acceptance unit 158 accepts a command that is input by theoperator's operation based on the display screen that is displayed onthe display unit 50 by the control unit 151 using the display screendata that is transmitted from the data transmission/reception unit 25 ofthe server computer SV2 and received by the data I/O unit 156; that is,a command to the effect of receiving the tabulated information with theimage forming apparatus 15. For example, the command acceptance unit 158accepts the foregoing command based on a touch panel function providedto the display unit 50.

The transmission request sending unit 159 sends a transmission requestof the foregoing tabulated information to the server computer SV2 whenthe command acceptance unit 158 accepts the foregoing command. However,the function of the transmission request sending unit 159 may also beconcurrently carried out by the data I/O unit 156.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the transmission request acceptanceprocessing of tabulated information and the tabulated informationdelivery processing in the server computer SV2 and the image formingapparatus 15 of the data management system 10 according to this otherembodiment. Explanation of the same processing as the processing shownin FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 is omitted.

The processing shown in FIG. 8 is an embodiment of the processing ofaccepting the input of a command from the operator for converting theforegoing tabulated information into a prescribed data format andsending it to the image forming apparatus 15.

When the server computer SV2 is to perform processing for accepting froman operator an input of a command for selecting whether to perform theprocessing for converting the foregoing tabulated information into aprescribed data format (the display screen data in a data format (forinstance, HTML format) that is displayable with the display unit 50 ofthe image forming apparatus 15) and sending it to the image formingapparatus 15, foremost, the display screen data creation unit 28 createsthe display screen data for urging the operator to make the foregoingselection in a data format described above (V21).

The data transmission/reception unit 25 transmits the created displayscreen data to the image forming apparatus 15 (V22).

In the image forming apparatus 15, the data I/O unit 156 receives thedisplay screen data from the data transmission/reception unit 25 of theserver computer SV2 (S21). The control unit 151 displays the displayscreen showing the display screen data on the display unit 50 (S22).

When the control unit 151 is displaying the display screen on thedisplay unit 50, if the command acceptance unit 158 accepts a commandthat is input by the operator's operation based on the display screen;that is, a command to the effect of receiving the foregoing tabulatedinformation with the image forming apparatus 15 (YES at S23), thetransmission request sending unit 159 sends a transmission request ofthe foregoing tabulated information to the server computer SV2 (S24). Ifthe result is NO at S23, the processing of S22 is continued.

In the server computer SV2, when the transmission request receiving unit29 receives the transmission request of the foregoing tabulatedinformation from the image forming apparatus 15 (YES at V23), thecommand acceptance unit 26 accepts a command for converting theforegoing tabulated information into a prescribed data format andsending it to the image forming apparatus 15 according to thetransmission request, and configures a setting for executing theconversion of the foregoing tabulated information into a prescribed dataformat and the transmission of the data converted tabulated informationto the image forming apparatus 15 (V33). Here, let it be assumed thatthe command acceptance unit 26 preliminarily stores the image formingapparatus 15 as the destination of the foregoing tabulated information.If the result is NO at V23, the processing of V24 is not performed.

Consequently, if it is determined that a setting for converting theforegoing tabulated information into a prescribed data format andsending it to the image forming apparatus 15 has been configured in thecommand acceptance unit 26 at V3 of FIG. 4 according to the sequentialprocessing shown in FIG. 4 (YES at V3), the data transmission/receptionunit 25 transmits the foregoing tabulated information to the imageforming apparatus 15.

According to the sequential processing shown in FIG. 8, with the imageforming apparatus 15, in addition to the control unit 151 being able todisplay the foregoing tabulated information on the display unit 50, thecontrol unit 151 is also able to manage the logs of the toner level,copy count information, jam count and the like regarding allnetwork-connected image forming apparatuses 11 to 15 by using theforegoing tabulated information.

Note that the present invention can be modified into various formswithout limitation to the configuration of the respective embodimentsdescribed above. The configuration and processing shown in FIG. 1 toFIG. 8 are merely exemplifications of the embodiments of the presentinvention, and do not intend to limit the present invention to theforegoing embodiments. For example, although the predeterminedinformation of the claims was explained as maintenance information ineach of the foregoing embodiments, the predetermined information is notlimited to maintenance information, and may be other information.

In other words, the present invention is an information processingapparatus comprising a data acquisition unit which acquires data inScript format including predetermined information that has been outputfrom each of one or more network-connected peripheral devices, atabulation unit which extracts the predetermined information from theScript format data acquired by the data acquisition unit, and tabulatesthis extracted information; and a data conversion unit which convertsthe tabulated information that has been tabulated by the tabulation unitinto a predetermined data format which is interpretable by a device thatis different from the information processing apparatus and which isdifferent from the Script format.

The present invention is additionally a computer-readable storage mediumrecorded with a data management program which causes an informationprocessing apparatus that is network-connected to each of one or moreperipheral devices to function as: a data acquisition unit whichacquires data in Script format that has been output from each of theperipheral devices; a tabulation unit which extracts predeterminedinformation from the Script format data acquired by the data acquisitionunit, and tabulates this extracted information; and a data conversionunit which converts the tabulated information that has been tabulated bythe tabulation unit into a predetermined data format which isinterpretable by a device that is different from the informationprocessing apparatus and which is different from the Script format.

With the conventional image forming system described in the Descriptionof the Background Art, information such as the maintenance information(toner level, copy count information, jam count, etc.) of the respectiveimage forming apparatuses is not centrally controlled with the servercomputer, nor is the foregoing maintenance information made available ina separate apparatus that is different from the server computer.

Meanwhile, with the present invention, since the tabulation unit setsthe Script format data that was acquired from the respective peripheraldevices with the data acquisition unit as the target of tabulationprocessing, predetermined information can be extracted and tabulatedfrom the data that was acquired from the respective peripheral devices.Moreover, since the data conversion unit converts the tabulatedinformation that was tabulated with the tabulation unit into apredetermined data format that is different from the Script format andwhich is interpretable by an apparatus (for instance, a peripheraldevice) that is different from the information processing apparatus, theforegoing tabulated information is made available to the foregoingdifferent apparatus.

Consequently, according to the present invention, information such asthe maintenance information of peripheral devices such as the imageforming apparatuses can be centrally controlled with an informationprocessing apparatus such as a server computer, and such information isalso made available to an apparatus (for instance, a peripheral device)that is different from the information processing apparatus.

Moreover, with the present invention, the data conversion unit performsdata conversion of a data format that is interpretable by a serverapplication loaded in a specific network-connected server as thepredetermined data format, a data transmission unit being furtherprovided which transmits data that has been converted by the dataconversion unit to the server.

According to this invention, since the data conversion unit converts thetabulated information in Script format that was tabulated with thetabulation unit into a data format that is interpretable by a specificnetwork-connected server, the foregoing tabulated information is madeavailable to the server.

Moreover, the present invention further has a command acceptance unitwhich accept, from an operator, an input of a command for selectingwhether to perform data conversion by the data conversion unit and datatransmission by the data transmission unit; and a control unit whichcauses the data conversion unit to perform data conversion and the datatransmission unit to perform data transmission if the command acceptanceunit accepts a command for performing the data conversion and the datatransmission, and causes the data conversion unit to refrain fromperforming data conversion and the data transmission unit to refrainfrom perform data transmission when the command acceptance unit does notaccept the command.

According to this invention, since the control unit controls whether tocause the data conversion unit to perform data conversion and the datatransmission unit to perform data transmission according to the contentsof an operator's command that was accepted by the command acceptanceunit, the operator is able to select, as intended, whether to cause theinformation processing apparatus to perform the foregoing dataconversion and data transmission by properly setting the command to beinput into the command acceptance unit regarding whether or not toperform the foregoing data conversion and data transmission.

Moreover, with the present invention, the data conversion unit performsdata conversion of an HTML data format that is displayable by a displayunit of a network-connected peripheral device as the predetermined dataformat, a data transmission unit being provided which transmits datathat has been converted by the data conversion unit to a predeterminedperipheral device including the display unit among the peripheraldevices.

According to this invention, since the data conversion unit converts thetabulated information in Script format that was tabulated with thetabulation unit into an HTML data format that is displayable with adisplay unit of a network-connected peripheral device, the foregoingtabulated information can be displayed on the display unit of theperipheral device.

Moreover, with the present invention, the data transmission unitdetermines whether data transmission to the predetermined peripheraldevice is possible, and sends the converted data to a predetermineddifferent peripheral device including the display unit among thenetwork-connected peripheral devices, upon determining that datatransmission to the peripheral device is not possible.

According to this invention, since the data conversion unit converts thetabulated information in Script format that was tabulated with thetabulation unit into an HTML data format that is displayable with adisplay unit of a network-connected peripheral device, the datatransmission unit will determine that data transmission to thepredetermined peripheral device is not possible and send the foregoingconverted data to a different peripheral device. Thus, the tabulatedinformation that was tabulated with the tabulation unit can be displayedon the display unit of such different peripheral device.

Moreover, the present invention further comprises a display screen datacreation unit which creates display screen data for urging an operatorto select whether to receive, by the predetermined peripheral device,the converted data to be transmitted from the data transmission unit ina data format that is displayable on the display unit of thepredetermined peripheral device; and a transmission request receivingunit which receives, from the predetermined peripheral device, atransmission request for the converted data from the data transmissionunit, wherein the data transmission unit transmits the display screendata created by the display screen data creation unit to the peripheraldevice, and additionally sends the converted data to the predeterminedperipheral device on the basis that the transmission request receivingunit receives the transmission request for the converted data.

According to this invention, the operator is able to select, with theperipheral device, whether to receive the converted data to betransmitted from the data transmission unit with the predeterminedperipheral device.

The present invention is additionally a data management systemcomprising one or more peripheral devices and an information processingapparatus that is network-connected to the peripheral devices, whereineach of the peripheral devices has a data creation unit which createspredetermined information as data in Script format, and a data outputunit which outputs the Script format data that has been created by thedata creation unit, the information processing apparatus has a dataacquisition unit which acquires data in Script format that has beenoutput from the peripheral devices, a tabulation unit which extractspredetermined information from the Script format data acquired by thedata acquisition unit, and tabulates this extracted information, a dataconversion unit which converts the tabulated information that has beentabulated by the tabulation unit into an HTML data format that isdisplayable by a display unit of the peripheral devices, and a datatransmission unit which transmits data that has been converted by thedata conversion unit to a predetermined peripheral device including thedisplay unit among the peripheral devices, and wherein the predeterminedperipheral device has a data receiving unit which receives the converteddata transmitted from the information processing apparatus, and adisplay control unit which displays the converted data that has beenreceived by the data receiving unit on the display unit.

According to this invention, since the data conversion unit converts thetabulated information in Script format that was tabulated with thetabulation unit into an HTML data format that is displayable with adisplay unit of a network-connected peripheral device, the foregoingtabulated information can be displayed on the display unit of theperipheral device. Consequently, the administrator of the site where thedata management system is installed will be able to learn informationregarding the respective peripheral devices that are network-connectedto the information processing apparatus merely by viewing the displayunit of a peripheral device without having to operation a personalcomputer or the like.

Moreover, with the data management system according to the presentinvention, the information processing apparatus further comprises: adisplay screen data creation unit which creates display screen data forurging an operator to select whether to receive, by the predeterminedperipheral device, the converted data to be transmitted from the datatransmission unit in a data format that is displayable by the displayunit of the predetermined peripheral device; and a transmission requestreceiving unit which receives, from the predetermined peripheral device,a transmission request for the converted data from the data transmissionunit, the data transmission unit transmits the display screen datacreated by the display screen data creation unit to the peripheraldevice, and additionally sends the converted data to the predeterminedperipheral device on the basis that the transmission request receivingunit receives the transmission request of the converted data, apredetermined peripheral device among each of the peripheral devices hasthe display unit, the data receiving unit receives the display screendata that is transmitted from the data transmission unit of theinformation processing apparatus, and the display control unit displaysa display screen according to the display screen data that has beenreceived by the data receiving unit on the display unit, thepredetermined peripheral device further comprising: a command acceptanceunit which accepts a command for receiving the converted data by theperipheral device that is input based on an operator operation based onthe display screen that is displayed on the display unit by the displaycontrol unit; and a transmission request sending unit which sends thetransmission request for the converted data to the informationprocessing apparatus when the command acceptance unit accepts thecommand.

According to this invention, the operator is able to select, with theperipheral device, whether to receive the converted data to betransmitted from the data transmission unit with the predeterminedperipheral device.

This application is based on Japanese Patent application serial No.2009-225153 filed in Japan Patent Office on Sep. 29, 2009, the contentsof which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Although the present invention has been fully described by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to beunderstood that various changes and modifications will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, unless otherwise such changes andmodifications depart from the scope of the present invention hereinafterdefined, they should be construed as being included therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A data management system comprising: a pluralityof image forming apparatuses and an information processing apparatusthat is network-connected to the plurality of image forming apparatuses,each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses having a datacreation unit that acquires maintenance information and creates themaintenance information as data in Script format when performing animage forming operation, and a data output unit that outputs the Scriptformat data that has been created by the data creation unit, theinformation processing apparatus having: an operation unit, a firstcommand acceptance unit that receives a command for setting one of theimage forming apparatuses as a destination among the plurality of imageforming apparatuses as a result of an operator operating the operationunit, and preliminarily sets the command of the image forming apparatusas the destination, a data acquisition unit that acquires the data inScript format that has been output from the each of the plurality ofimage forming apparatuses, a tabulation unit that extracts predeterminedinformation about all of the plurality of image forming apparatuses fromthe Script format data acquired by the data acquisition unit, andtabulates this extracted predetermined information to produce tabulatedinformation, a data conversion unit that converts the tabulatedinformation about all of the plurality of image forming apparatuses thathas been tabulated by the tabulation unit into an HTML data format toproduce converted data that is displayable by a display unit of theimage forming apparatus that has been set as the destination, a datatransmission unit that transmits the converted data that has beenconverted by the data conversion unit to the image forming apparatusthat has been set as the destination, a display screen data creationunit that creates display screen data for urging an operator to selectwhether to receive, by the image forming apparatus that has been set asthe destination, the converted data to be transmitted from the datatransmission unit in a data format that is displayable by the displayunit of the image forming apparatus that has been set as thedestination, and a transmission request receiving unit that receives,from the image forming apparatus that has been set as the destination, atransmission request for the converted data from the data transmissionunit, and the image forming apparatus that has been set as thedestination having a data receiving unit that receives the converteddata transmitted from the information processing apparatus, a displaycontrol unit that displays the tabulated information about all of theplurality of image forming apparatuses indicated by the converted datathat has been received by the data receiving unit on the display unit, asecond command acceptance unit that accepts a command for receiving theconverted data that is input based on an operator operation based on thedisplay screen that is displayed on the display unit by the displaycontrol unit, and a transmission request sending unit that sends thetransmission request for the converted data to the informationprocessing apparatus when the second command acceptance unit accepts thecommand, wherein the data transmission unit transmits the display screendata created by the display screen data creation unit to the imageforming apparatus that has been set as the destination, and additionallysends the converted data to the image forming apparatus that has beenset as the destination on the basis that the transmission requestreceiving unit receives the transmission request of the converted data,the data receiving unit receives the display screen data that istransmitted from the data transmission unit of the informationprocessing apparatus, and the display control unit displays a displayscreen according to the display screen data that has been received bythe data receiving unit on the display unit.
 2. The data managementsystem according to claim 1, wherein the data management system furthercomprises a mail server, the data output unit in each of the pluralityof image forming apparatuses transmits the Script format data to themail server, the information processing apparatus acquires the Scriptformat data that is output from each of the plurality of image formingapparatuses via the mail server.
 3. The data management system accordingto claim 1, wherein the data conversion unit performs data conversion ofa data format that is interpretable by a server application loaded in aspecific network-connected server as the predetermined data format, andwherein the data transmission unit transmits to the server data that hasbeen converted by the data conversion unit.
 4. The data managementsystem according to claim 1, wherein the first command acceptance unitcan accept, from an operator, an input of a command for selectingwhether to perform data conversion by the data conversion unit and datatransmission by the data transmission unit; and the informationprocessing apparatus further comprises a control unit that causes thedata conversion unit to perform data conversion and the datatransmission unit to perform data transmission if the first commandacceptance unit accepts a command for performing the data conversion andthe data transmission, and causes the data conversion unit to refrainfrom performing data conversion and the data transmission unit torefrain from performing data transmission when the first commandacceptance unit does not accept the command.
 5. A data management systemcomprising: a plurality of image forming apparatuses and an informationprocessing apparatus that is network-connected to the plurality of imageforming apparatuses, wherein each of the plurality of image formingapparatuses has a data creation unit that acquires maintenanceinformation and creates the maintenance information as data in Scriptformat when performing an image forming operation, and a data outputunit that outputs the Script format data that has been created by thedata creation unit, the information processing apparatus has anoperation unit, a first command acceptance unit that receives a commandfor setting one of the image forming apparatuses as a destination amongthe plurality of image forming apparatuses as a result of an operatoroperating the operation unit, and preliminarily sets the command of theimage forming apparatus as the destination, a data acquisition unit thatacquires the data in Script format that has been output from the each ofthe plurality of image forming apparatuses, a tabulation unit thatextracts predetermined information about all of the plurality of imageforming apparatuses from the Script format data acquired by the dataacquisition unit, and tabulates this extracted predetermined informationto produce tabulated information, a data conversion unit that convertsthe tabulated information about all of the plurality of image formingapparatuses that has been tabulated by the tabulation unit into an HTMLdata format to produce converted data that is displayable by a displayunit of the image forming apparatus that has been set as thedestination, and a data transmission unit that transmits the converteddata that has been converted by the data conversion unit to the imageforming apparatus that has been set as the destination, the imageforming apparatus that has been set as the destination has a datareceiving unit that receives the converted data transmitted from theinformation processing apparatus, and a display control unit thatdisplays the tabulated information about all of the plurality of imageforming apparatuses indicated by the converted data that has beenreceived by the data receiving unit on the display unit, the firstcommand acceptance unit accepts a first candidate and a second candidateas the image forming apparatus that is to be set as the destination fromthe plurality of image forming apparatuses, and the data transmissionunit determines whether data transmission to the first candidate ispossible, and sends the converted data to the second candidate, upondetermining that data transmission to the first candidate is notpossible.